Dr. Donald Snitgen

He was born February 25, 1936, in St. Johns, Michigan, a son of the late Leo J. and Virginia M. (MacPherson) Snitgen. He was raised on Sweet Road in Lansing, graduated from Eastern High School, Central Michigan University and earned a PhD from Michigan State University.

Don became a faculty member of the Biology Department at NMU in the fall of 1966 and retired in 1998 after 32 years as a professor of biology. Don’s students benefitted from his hands-on approach to learning biology and ecology. His classes were invariably interesting and fun. He led field trips to fields, forests, bogs and even snorkeling in streams.

In the summer of 1967 Don began his career as an environmental educator and by creating a nature trail at the NMU Longyear Forest. Hundreds of BIO-100 Biology and Man students were bussed to the nature trail with lab instructors to learn about the natural phenomena at each of the 20 interpretive trail posts.

In the early 1970’s Don created the BIO-100 Auto Tutorial Program-a program “ahead of its time” where students could learn about the environment at their own pace using a cassette tape player and the interpretive trail.

In the mid 1970’s Don was an active member in the Citizens to Save the Superior Shoreline (CSSS) which focused public attention on development of the newly acquired state property called Little Presque Isle Park north of Marquette. Development of Little Presque Isle Park was kept to a minimum, partly because of Don’s activism, including marching in front of the Marquette DNR Office with signs requesting public hearings about the new park.

Also, in the mid 1970’s Don created and led many teacher training workshops and courses. He helped design and implement the two and a half daylong school camping trips for middle school students to Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay. Teachers and high school chaperons were taught how to teach environmental education in the outdoors and help others learn a love and respect for the outdoors. Students had amazing outdoor learning experiences there.

In 1976 Don founded the Regional Environmental Education Center for the Upper Peninsula (REECUP) along with cofounder, Jim Mansfield of the NMU Education Department. Funding was provided by the Cleveland Cliffs Foundation. Student Assistant, Janet Heltenen began offering environmental education programs and materials for schools in the area. These programs continued at the Greenwood Nature Center west of Ishpeming in 1979 and under the direction of university staff, David Kronk and Betsy St. Pierre until 1983. The construction of the Greenwood Nature Center and hiring of staff came from additional funding Don secured from the Cleveland Cliffs Foundation and the Federal Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CATA).

In 2008 Don Snitgen received the William Stapp Award, the lifetime achievement award for excellence in environmental education from the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).

Don Snitgen was a creative person who loved music, photography, wood working and artist blacksmithing. He loved to sing and also played the flute and the ukulele and was a member of the local band, The Desolation Angels. He founded the traditional music jam at the Falling Rock Cafe in Munising and loved to attend and participate in the annual Hiawatha Music Festival. Don and his wife, Mary loved to travel and took many trips around the country in their truck camper. Don was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hike, bike, cross-country ski and camp. One of his major undertakings was to build a 24 x 24 foot cabin by hand with the help of family and friends. In the words of Jerry Garcia, “Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there”.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mary (Surber) Snitgen of Marquette; daughter, Jeanne (Garane) Garane of Columbia, SC; sons, Jim (Kelly) Snitgen of Green Bay, WI and John (Cathy) Snitgen of Onondaga, MI; grandchildren, Shakhlan Garane, Gashan Garane, Jacob and Autumn Snitgen and Molly Snitgen.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

There will be a celebration of Don’s Life on Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 3 to 5 pm at NMU Center in the Founder’s Room.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the UP Land Conservancy,

Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family where memories may be shared at canalefuneral.com.